MEGA 2026 awards creators exploring new forms of storytelling

SUZHOU, China, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From a supernatural reimagining of a poet's story to an immersive interpretation of a book adaptation, winning works at the 6th Media, Exhibition, Graphics, and Arts (MEGA) International Creative Media Festival show how emerging creators are combining cultural narratives with AI, virtual production, and spatial media.

Hosted by the Academy of Film and Creative Technology (AFCT) at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), MEGA is an annual international festival that connects young creators, universities, and industry organisations.

A record of 2,014 submissions from 10 countries and regions, representing 189 universities and institutions, were received by this year's MEGA – a 45.5% increase on the previous year. Nearly one-third of the student entries, 473 out of 1,479 works, were submitted to the AI and immersive media categories.

A dedicated immersive media category was introduced this year, following the opening of XJTLU's Dome Immersive Cinema. Premiered in 2025, the 338.8-square-metre LED display is the world's first fully integrated dome cinema facility at a university.

The winners were announced on 29 September 2026 at the Suzhou International Expo Centre, where MEGA made its debut as a part of the 15th Suzhou Cultural and Creative Design Industry Trade Expo.

"The Tale of the Peony", by Yuqing Liu of the University of Hong Kong, won Best AI Short Film. Inspired by Yu Xuanji, a poet of the late Tang dynasty, the film reimagines her story using Chinese supernatural tales. The team used AI to generate keyframe animation for a visual world inspired by the texture of traditional Chinese rice paper, then manually refined the keyframes in post-production.

Siyi Zhang from Beijing Film Academy, China, received the Best Immersive Media Short Film Director award for "Demian", based on Hermann Hesse's novel of the same title. It is a narrative-led immersive stage installation that combines projection mapping, AI-generated visuals, LED virtual production, and an interactive set constructed from elastic bands.

MEGA's aim is to evolve from an annual festival into a year-round creative ecosystem that connects universities, young creators, and industry partners, helping more creative work move beyond campus. "Today's creative ecosystem is no longer a monologue confined to a single discipline, medium or culture, but a symphony across fields, media and cultures," said Professor Qian Liu, Dean of AFCT.